Interrupting switch



Nov. 10', 1942. R. c. CALLAN 2,301,250

' INTERRUPTING SWITCH Filed Oct. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l "x I .flg/mund E. Cal/s27 Nov. 10, 1942. R. c. CALL'AN 2,301,250

INTERRUPTING SWITCH Filed Oct. 19, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 symand E. Ca/lan a Patented Nov. 10, 1942 INTERRUPTING swrron Raymond o. Callan, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October 19,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in switches particularly adapted for use with lighting equipment for vehicles such as bicycles and other similar wheeled vehicles.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved switch for intermittently opening and closing the lighting circuit to flash the light on and off.

With the above and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.-

The accompanying drawings illustrate several complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a side view of the rear portion of a bicycle illustrating one application of this invention;

Figure 2 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of part of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional detail view taken through Figure 2 on-the plane of the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a front view of a bicycle illustrating another application of this invention;

Figure 5 is a side view of the front end of the bicycle illustrating the application shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a side view of that portion of the bicycle adjacent to the pedals and sprocket wheel illustrating another manner of intermittently opening and closing the lighting circuit.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates the frame of a bicycle or other similar wheeled vehicle, which, as is customary, is supported on front and rear wheels 6 and I, respectively. The rear wheel is driven in the customary manner by means of pedals 8, a sprocket wheel 9, and a sprocket chain l0 trained over the sprocket wheel and the usual sprocket on the rear wheel.

The lighting attachment comprises a light H, which may be mounted on the fender l2 over the rear wheel, as shown in Figure 1, or from the handle bars i3, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. If mounted in the manner shown in Figure 1, the

1940, Serial No. 361,868

battery for the light is contained within the shell or casing ll of the light, and when the installation is as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, it is preferable to house the battery in a separate container l5 clamped to the handle bars or some part of the bicycle frame.

In each instance, a suitable switch [6 is provided by which the lighting circuit may be manually opened and closed, and in each instance, the interrupting switch of this invention, indicated generally by the numeral I1, is connected in the lighting circuit in such a way that when the switch I6 is closed, the interrupting switch intermittently opens and closes the circuit to efiect the flashing of the light.

This interrupting switch ll, which is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, comprises a circumferentially interrupted rotating contactor l8 and a stationary flexible spring contact IS. The rotating contactor I8 is preferably in the form of a ring having a wide portion 20 and a narrow portion 2i. The increase in diameter of the wide portion over the narrow portion provides the circumferentially interrupted contactor per se and is so positioned with respect to the stationary contact l9 as to have a wiping engagement therewith as the element l8 rotates.

It is preferable to secure this ring-like element l8 to the spokes 22 of the adjacent wheel. Any suitable manner of fastening it to the spokes may be employed. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure l, the rotating contactor is secured to the spokes of the rear wheel, and in the constructions shown in Figures 4 and 5, it is attached to the spokes of the front wheel.

The ends 23 of the large diameter or wider portion 20 of the contactor are curved to more readily and gradually eilect engagement thereof with the contact l9.

The contact l9 comprises a piece of insulating material 24 either wrapped about or otherwise secured to a stationary frame part 25, and a loop 26 consisting of a strip of resilient flexible metal encircling the insulating material and secured thereto by a screw 21.

The screw 21 may also constitute the clamping screw by which the insulation is held in position and provides a terminal to which a conductor 28 may be connected to have electrical contact with the loop 26.

As clearly shown in Figure-3, the loop 26 is substantially larger than the insulation which it encircles and is so mounted as to be biased toward the plane of the contactor Hi to have a firm wiping contact with the large diameter portion 20 thereof as it rotates. With this arrangement, good contact is provided regardless of the direction of rotation 01 the contactor.

From the foregoing description taken in conwith the accompanying drawings, it will for lighting installation similar wheeled vehicles.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. An interrupting switch comprising: a sub- RAYMOND C. CALLAN. 

